By Geri Falzon

In front of an enthusiastic crowd of over 45,000 screaming spectators, Mike Smith raised his arm in victory as Drosselmeyer crossed the finish line to win the 142nd running of the Belmont Stakes.

“Mike gave him a really smooth ride and he [Drosselmeyer] finished well,” said trainer Bill Mott.
 
Smith, who kept the 3 year-old out in front down the stretch, felt good right from the start. “He stayed in a nice comfortable rhythm all the way,” said Smith. “As soon as I asked him, he really kicked in and kept going and going to the finish,” he added.
 
Drosselmeyer was originally to be mounted by Kent Desormeaux, however WinStar Farm opted for Mike Smith.
 
“No reflection of Kent. He has won the Belmont before,” said WinStar Vice President and Racing Manager Elliott Walden. “It was just one of those things where the horse had struggled to get over the hump and we just felt like a little shuffling might do the trick,” explained Walden. He added, “This horse just needed a little change in its routine. We felt Mike could get him into that rhythm this horse desired.”
 
“Kent said to me ‘this horse will win Belmont with or without me.’ He had a lot of confidence in this horse all year. Mike gave him a great ride and Kent would have too,” said Walden.
 
Trainer Bill Mott also had great confidence in Smith. “Mike has been riding very well and he’s been on a roll,” said Mott.  “He has great hands and that’s what this horse needed,” he added.
 
Smith, who had previously won the 1993 Preakness with Prairie Bayou and the Kentucky Derby with Giacomo in 2005, had not faired as well at the Belmont Stakes. Winning the longest of the Triple Crown races had always eluded the Hall of Fame jockey.
 
“He [Drosselmeyer] did great,” said Smith. The winning duo drew pole position number seven and seemed to come out of the gate without incident. “He broke good today which I was concerned about. He stumbled his last time out and it cost him,” said Smith.
 
Smith, who was unfamiliar with Drosselmeyer, needed a crash course in learning about this very special horse. “I saw all of his races and the race that kept sticking in my mind over and over again was a race at Churchill when he won by 6 (lengths) that day. He was in a rhythm that day and I knew that’s what I had to do as well and it all came together,” said the New Mexico native.
 
WinStar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, is home to the winner of this year’s Kentucky Derby and now the Belmont Stakes.
 
“Winning with Super Saver and now Drosselmeyer, gives you that great feeling that all of your hard work and dedication has paid off,” said Walden. “This was such a team effort and we all had such a great feeling about this all spring,” he added.
 
Mott, a Hall of Fame trainer, is an enormous part of that winning team. “It’s a great feeling. It’s nice to be able to train good horses for good people and getting the opportunity to do this and have it all come together is so special,” said Mott. He added, “Some things are just meant to be and it was just a matter of time with this horse.”
 
For Smith and Mott, it was more than just a million dollar race as they both reminisced on their early days in racing.
 
“It’s nice to join up with an old friend,” said Mott. “We both kinda came to New York at the same time and cut our teeth here and it’s nice to join up at the Belmont and get it done together. This win is very special for a lot of reasons, but Mike is probably the biggest of those reasons,” he added.
 
“I love Belmont,” exclaimed Smith. “I just love this track, it’s like riding a bike for me,” he added. “Billy and I have come full circle. I’ve been riding for so long and to come into New York and finally win this race together – it’s GREAT!” said the jockey.
 
Smith, can now boast that his resume includes wins in all three legs of Triple Crown races. “I have had a lot of success in 14 years of racing here at Belmont, and although I have finished second and third, I just never made it to the winner’s circle,” said Smith.
 
“When I got the call from Bill and he asked if I was interested in riding [Drosselmeyer], the first thing I thought was that I was going to win the Belmont,” said Smith
 
“When I rode Giacomo I knew I was going to win the [Kentucky] Derby and today I knew I was going to win the Belmont,” said Smith. He added, “Winning this race means everything to me – I now feel complete.”